With Christmas around the corner I tried to add a few recipes suitable for the holiday table to my blog and here are the salmon tagliatelle in a light version, creamy but without cream and scented with lemon.
In the past I prepared this tasty first course always using cream; however for some time now I’ve sometimes replaced it with ricotta and other times with a light cream cheese, like Philadelphia light to be clear. You can obtain 2 generous portions that serve as a main dish or 3 smaller ones, ideal if followed by a second course.
And I won’t tell you how good it is! My Dutch partner, who is perfectly capable of making salmon tagliatelle in the classic way, wrinkled his nose at the idea that I would make this substitution, and then when I put the plate in front of him he polished it off, remaining positively surprised by the result. They turned out delicious; try them and you’ll make a great impression on your guests!
You can find some other first course ideas for the holidays here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2 or 3
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz egg tagliatelle (fresh or 5 oz semolina pasta)
- 2 oz smoked salmon
- 3 oz cream cheese (light, such as Philadelphia light)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (measuring teaspoon)
- 1 lemon (you need the juice and a little grated zest)
- 1 bunch chopped parsley (optional)
- to taste salt and pepper
- Points for a generous serving = 10 WW points (divided in 2)
- Points for a smaller serving = 7 WW points (divided in 3)
Preparation
As always, it’s better to weigh all the ingredients in advance, so you can’t go wrong with the Weight Watchers points. The only preparation to do is to cut the smoked salmon into strips or small pieces.
Bring the pasta water to a boil with a bit of salt and meanwhile prepare the sauce.
Heat the teaspoon of oil and add the salmon. Add the lemon juice — the amount depends on your personal taste. When the salmon has slightly changed color, lower the heat to minimum.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and dissolve the cream cheese with a little of the pasta cooking water to make it much looser.
Pour the loosened cheese into the pan with the salmon and add a little pepper. I didn’t add salt to the sauce.
Mix well and reserve a small cup of pasta cooking water before draining it.
Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well: if it seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
And here, in 15 minutes our salmon tagliatelle are already ready to be served at the table! Add a little grated lemon zest and chopped parsley to make the dish more attractive visually.
I don’t think it’s necessary to repeat how good this dish is. And you should know that I’m not even a big fan of smoked salmon, yet the cream cheese makes it so delicate that it becomes pleasant to my palate.
Make it in the next holiday days and let me know what you think — as always I await you in our Mangia senza Pancia Club on Facebook.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
